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USS Tracy

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93-643: USS Tracy (DD-214/DM-19) was a Clemson -class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II . She was the only ship named for Secretary of the Navy Benjamin Franklin Tracy . Tracy was laid down on 3 April and launched on 13 August 1919 by the William Cramp & Sons ' Shipyard, sponsored by Mrs. Frank B. Tracy. The destroyer was commissioned on 9 March 1920. Following commissioning, Tracy cruised on shakedown to

186-483: A General Board recommendation for further destroyers to combat the submarine threat, culminating in a total of 267 Wickes - and Clemson -class destroyers completed. However, the design of the ships remained optimized for operation with the battleship fleet. The main armament was the same as the Wickes class: four 4-inch (102 mm)/50 caliber guns and twelve 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes . The Mark 8 torpedo

279-518: A 1787 law prohibiting residents of the state from trading in slaves. Slave traders were also breaking federal statutes of 1794 and 1800 barring Americans from carrying slaves to ports outside the United States, as well as the 1807 Congressional act abolishing the transatlantic slave trade. A few Rhode Island families made substantial fortunes in the trade. William and Samuel Vernon were Newport merchants who later played an important role in financing

372-542: A force from USS  South Dakota . Proceeding to Manila, she spent some time in that port before commencing a cruise to southern Philippine ports on 26 November. For the remainder of her tour in the Asiatic Fleet , she carried out flag-showing cruises and exercises before departing for the United States on 8 May 1925. At Midway , her division was relieved by DesDiv 39. Arriving in San Diego, California , on 17 June, Tracy

465-799: A large force of Japanese destroyers was sighted heading for " Ironbottom Sound ." Tracy , as task group leader, led USS  Montgomery and USS  Preble in laying a field of 300 mines between Doma Reef and Cape Esperance . That night, the Japanese destroyer  Makigumo struck one of these mines and was damaged so badly that she was scuttled . Nevertheless, the Japanese managed to extricate their garrison from Guadalcanal. Following this action, Tracy rejoined TF 62 for escort duty and touched at Nouméa, Tulagi , and Efate before heading for Hawaii on 19 April. She reached Pearl Harbor on 1 May and, 11 days later, headed toward San Francisco, California for

558-536: A minefield near French Frigate Shoals before returning to Pearl Harbor and conducting local operations. She then headed for Suva , in the Fiji Islands , on 23 July. Seven days later, in company with USS  Breese and USS  Gamble , Tracy arrived at Suva before proceeding from there to Espiritu Santo . At bases in the Southwest Pacific, American forces prepared for their first amphibious assault of

651-608: A much needed overhaul at Mare Island. After refitting, Tracy departed San Francisco on 22 May and spent the next few months engaged in "milk run" convoys between the Hawaiian Islands and the U.S. West Coast. On 10 August, she departed Pearl Harbor and steamed to Samoa, from there setting her course toward Espiritu Santo and the South Pacific. At the end of November 1943, Tracy led a division of minelayers in placing an offensive minefield near Bougainville in preparations for

744-594: A population of about 25,000 residents. Newport hosted the first U.S. Open tournaments in both tennis and golf , as well as every challenge to the America's Cup between 1930 and 1983. It is also the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport , which houses the United States Naval War College , the Naval Undersea Warfare Center , and an important Navy training center. It

837-520: A redesigned stern, but this was not implemented. They were reported to be prone to heavy rolling in light load conditions. The flush deck gave the hull great strength but this also made the deck very wet. 156 Clemson -class destroyers were built, with an additional six cancelled. Fourteen ships of the class were involved in the Honda Point Disaster (aka Point Pedernales) in 1923, of which seven were lost. Many never saw wartime service, as

930-465: A rich port began with the immigration of a second wave of Portuguese Jews , who settled there around the middle of the 18th century. The new settlers had been practicing Judaism secretly for 300 years in Portugal, and they were attracted to Rhode Island because of its freedom of worship. They brought with them commercial experience, connections, capital, and a spirit of enterprise. Most prominent among them

1023-539: A severe earthquake. Upon arrival, she participated in the initial relief work there and carried refugees from Yokohama to Tokyo. She sent repair parties ashore to assist in laying fresh water lines and remained in the Yokohama area for two weeks before heading for Shanghai . There, her landing party went ashore to guard the American-owned Shanghai Light and Power Company until relieved on 12 October 1923 by

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1116-468: A significant number were decommissioned in 1930 and scrapped as part of the London Naval Treaty . About 40 Clemson -class destroyers with Yarrow boilers were scrapped or otherwise disposed of in 1930–31, as these boilers wore out quickly in service. Flush-deckers in reserve were commissioned as replacements. In 1936 only some 169 of the flush deck destroyers would be left, four Caldwell class and

1209-699: A substantial part of their fortunes in the Old China Trade . By the turn of the 20th century, many of the nation's wealthiest families were summering in Newport, including the Vanderbilts , Astors , and the Widener family , who constructed the largest "cottages", such as The Breakers (1895) and Miramar (1915). They resided for a brief summer social season in grand mansions with elaborate receiving rooms, dining rooms, music rooms, and ballrooms—but with few bedrooms, since

1302-414: A total of eight guns, while DD 231–235 had four 5-inch (127 mm)/51 caliber guns in place of the 4-inch guns. As with the preceding Wickes class, the fleet found that the tapered cruiser stern, which made for a nice depth charge deployment feature, dug into the water and increased the turning radius, thus hampering anti-submarine work. While an increased rudder size helped, the answer would be in

1395-526: A year of settling Portsmouth and began the settlement of Newport on the southern side of the island. Newport grew to be the largest of the four original settlements that became the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations , including Providence Plantations and Shawomett . Many of the first colonists in Newport became Baptists , and the second Baptist congregation in Rhode Island was formed in 1640 under

1488-577: Is a seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Rhode Island , United States. It is located in Narragansett Bay , approximately 33 miles (53 km) southeast of Providence , 20 miles (32 km) south of Fall River, Massachusetts , 74 miles (119 km) south of Boston , and 180 miles (290 km) northeast of New York City . It is known as a New England summer resort and is famous for its historic mansions and its rich sailing history. The city has

1581-607: The Battle Fleet . Based at San Diego from 1 April 1928 until the spring of 1929, Tracy served on occasion as plane guard destroyer with the aircraft carriers Lexington and Saratoga before preparing at Mare Island Navy Yard , in June and July 1929, for duty in the Far East. DesDiv 38 relieved DesDiv 45 at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and then proceeded to Japan for a goodwill visit, arriving at Yokohama on 26 August 1929. In accordance with

1674-530: The Dry Tortugas before returning to Philadelphia . She steamed with Destroyer Division (DesDiv) 39 for duty in the Near East, arriving at Constantinople , Turkey , in early June 1920. With the troubled international situation in the Near East, American naval forces "showed the flag" and stood ready to protect American lives and property. Tracy touched at principal Black Sea ports and also visited cities along

1767-622: The Norfolk Navy Yard , Tracy returned briefly to Nicaraguan waters in March 1927, and then proceeded north. Steaming from Newport, Rhode Island on 1 June with DesDiv 38, she visited ports in Scotland , England, Belgium , France, Portugal , Spain, Algeria , Tunisia , and Italy . Departing Gibraltar on 28 January 1928, she operated in the Atlantic for one month before orders transferred DesDiv 38 to

1860-518: The Rhode Island Gazette . In 1758, his son James founded the weekly newspaper Mercury . The famous 18th-century Goddard and Townsend furniture was also made in Newport. Throughout the 18th-century, Newport suffered from an imbalance of trade with the largest colonial ports. As a result, Newport merchants were forced to develop alternatives to conventional exports. In the 1720s, Colonial leaders arrested many pirates, acting under pressure from

1953-785: The Suez Canal and touching at ports in India, Ceylon , French Indochina , and Java before finally reaching Manila late in August 1921. Tracy initially operated independently with the South China Patrol , "showing the flag" at the ports upon which she called. Detached from this duty in the spring of 1923, she steamed to Japan for a goodwill cruise before proceeding to Chefoo for summer maneuvers. Anchored at Dairen , Manchuria , in early September 1923, Tracy received orders to get underway immediately for Yokohama , Japan, which had been rocked by

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2046-547: The Tracy . [REDACTED]   This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships . The entry can be found here . Clemson-class destroyer The Clemson class was a series of 156 destroyers (6 more were cancelled and never begun) which served with the United States Navy from after World War I through World War II . The Clemson -class ships were commissioned by

2139-628: The United States . Until the Fletcher -class destroyer , the Clemson s were the most numerous class of destroyers commissioned in the United States Navy and were known colloquially as "flush-deckers”, "four-stackers" or "four-pipers". As finally built, the Clemson class would be a fairly straightforward expansion of the Wickes -class destroyers. While the Wickes class had given good service there

2232-416: The 10,898 households, 18.9% had children under the age of 18; 31.0% were married couples living together; 37.1% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 41.8% of households consisted of individuals and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.1 and the average family size was 2.8. The percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher

2325-437: The 3-inch gun to make more room for the depth charge tracks. Anti-submarine (ASW) armament was added during or after construction. Typically, two depth charge tracks were provided aft, along with a Y-gun depth charge projector forward of the aft deckhouse. Despite the provision for 5-inch guns, only seven ships were built with an increased gun armament. USS  Hovey and USS  Long had twin 4-inch/50 mounts for

2418-414: The 35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph) speed be retained so as to allow the Clemson class to be used as a fleet escort. The pressing need for destroyers overruled any change that would slow production compared to the proceeding Wickes class. Wing tanks for fuel oil were installed on either side of the ships to increase the operational range. This design choice meant the fuel oil would be stored above

2511-568: The Americans from the island. In 1779, the British abandoned the location. Rodney lamented, "The evacuating Rhode Island was the most fatal measure that could possibly have been adopted. It gave up the best and noblest harbor in America, capable of containing the whole Navy of Britain, and where they could in all seasons lie in perfect security; and from whence squadrons, in forty-eight hours, could blockade

2604-784: The Asiatic Fleet's routine, Tracy alternated duty in China ports in the summer with operations in the Philippines during the winter. The months in between were spent in cruises along the Chinese coast, engaged in "showing the flag" and exercises. During the fall of 1930, after a cruise to the Netherlands East Indies , she was fitted out for extended independent duties as station ship, Chefoo, China. Japan's seizure of Manchuria in September 1931 and

2697-562: The British government. Many were hanged in Newport and buried on Goat Island . Newport was a major center of the slave trade in colonial and early America, active in the "triangle trade" in which slave-produced sugar and molasses from the Caribbean were carried to Rhode Island and distilled into rum that was then carried to West Africa and exchanged for captives. In 1764, Rhode Island had about 30 rum distilleries, 22 in Newport alone. Slaves were trafficked illegally into Rhode Island, breaking

2790-483: The Cruiser-Destroyer fleet from Newport, and the closure of nearby Naval Air Station Quonset Point in 1973 were devastating to the local economy. The population of Newport decreased, businesses closed, and property values plummeted. However, in the late 1960s, the city began revitalizing the downtown area with the construction of America's Cup Avenue, malls of stores and condominiums, and upscale hotels. Construction

2883-682: The East Passage of the Narragansett. Being surrounded by ocean water, Newport is often cooler in the summer than some coastal cities further north, such as Boston . According to the USDA, Newport is located in plant hardiness zone 7a. The 2020 United States census counted 25,163 people, 10,898 households, and 4,982 families in Newport. The population density was 3,286.7 per square mile (1,269.0/km ). There were 13,466 housing units at an average density of 1,758.9 per square mile (679.1/km ). The racial makeup

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2976-777: The Hawaiian base in mid-November, she departed there on the 18th, bound via San Diego, California, and Salina Cruz , Mexico for the Panama Canal. She arrived at New York in December 1945 and was decommissioned on 19 January 1946. Struck from the Navy list on 7 February 1946, she was sold to the Northern Metals Company of Philadelphia, and scrapped later in the year. Tracy received seven battle stars for her World War II service. As of 13 July 2017, no other U.S. Navy ship has been named

3069-636: The Navy then turned its attention to Okinawa . Tracy served as a buoy-laying and mine disposal vessel, arriving off the island on 1 April 1945. In support of the Okinawa invasion, she engaged in antisubmarine and anti small boat patrols off the Fleet anchorages and while conducting screening duty, she rescued survivors from LCI(G)-82 , which had been hit by a shinyo suicide motorboat. Tracy herself came through this sustained and effective period of kamikaze assault on

3162-565: The Pacific and off the U.S. West Coast before being reclassified as a destroyer minelayer and redesignated DM-19 on 30 June 1937. Tracy was then assigned to Mine Division 1 and operated out of Pearl Harbor with the Battle Force. In late 1941, her division entered the navy yard at Pearl Harbor for overhaul. On 7 December 1941, Tracy lay at berth 15 of the yard with her machinery, boilers, and guns dismantled. Most of her complement were living in

3255-633: The US Fleet unscathed. She departed for Ulithi on 16 April and arrived on 22 April at the atoll to commence a period of upkeep and availability which lasted until 2 May. Continuing operations in the western Pacific, she took part in convoy escort duties through July, when she escorted an LST convoy from Okinawa to Leyte , anchoring in San Pedro Bay, Leyte, Philippines, on 3 July. From 5 to 17 July, she underwent tender availability before entering floating drydock USS  ARD-2  (2) for hull repairs. Under

3348-517: The United States Navy from 1919 to 1922, built by Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company , New York Shipbuilding Corporation , William Cramp & Sons , Bethlehem Steel Corporation , Mare Island Naval Shipyard , Norfolk Naval Shipyard and Bath Iron Works , some quite rapidly. The Clemson class was a minor redesign of the Wickes class for greater fuel capacity and was the last pre-World War II class of flush-deck destroyers to be built for

3441-583: The aforementioned USS Stewart in what is now the Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary. A number of ships in the class were christened by the initial batch of women who enlisted in the Navy as Yeoman (F) in World War I. The USS Hatfield (DD-231) was sponsored by Mrs. J. Edmond Haugh (Helen Brooks) who had been a Yeoman during the Great War. Newport, Rhode Island Newport

3534-564: The age of 18 and 7.7% of those ages 65 or over. As of 2013, there were 24,027 people, 10,616 households, and 4,933 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,204.2 inhabitants per square mile (1,237.1/km ). There were 13,069 housing units at an average density of 1,697.3 per square mile (655.3/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 82.5% White , 6.9% African American , 0.8% Native American , 1.4% Asian , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 3.1% some other race , and 5.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.4% of

3627-568: The aircraft of the Cactus Air Force . By late January 1943, the Japanese had decided to abandon Guadalcanal and had begun to evacuate as many men as possible. Increased Japanese surface activity, and corresponding air cover, tipped off the Americans that major Japanese troop movements were taking place, and orders went out to try to derail the Tokyo Express by any means possible including mines, PT-boats , and air strikes. On 1 February 1943,

3720-685: The beginning of Tracy ' s participation in the gigantic minesweeping efforts in Japanese home waters. From Buckner Bay, the ship proceeded to Japan and she arrived in Nagasaki Wan on 11 September one of the first Allied ships to enter that expanse of water. She served as buoy-laying and mine-disposal vessel during the minesweeping operations which cleared the sea lanes outside that key seaport and continued these duties until late in October, when she sailed for home. On 25 October she departed for Pearl Harbor, calling briefly at Buckner Bay en route. Arriving at

3813-625: The coasts of Palestine and Egypt , as well as Mediterranean Turkey. Towards the end of the Russian Civil War the Bolsheviks began to overwhelm the White Russian forces and many felt compelled to evacuate. Tracy was one of the ships which embarked hundreds of refugees at Sevastopol and carried them to Constantinople. In June 1921, she sailed with her division for the Far East , transiting

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3906-847: The colonial era, but rotated its legislative sessions among Providence, Newport, Bristol, East Greenwich, and South Kingstown. In 1854, the sessions were eliminated in cities other than Providence and Newport, and Newport was ultimately dropped in 1900 as a constitutional amendment that year restricted the meetings of the legislature to Providence. First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis had many ties to Newport. She spent her childhood summers at Newport's Hammersmith Farm . She and John Fitzgerald Kennedy attended nearby St. Mary's Church and were married there on September 12, 1953. The Kennedys sailed their yacht Honey Fitz in Narragansett Bay , golfed at Newport Country Club , dined at The White Horse Tavern , and attended social events at The Breakers . Presidents Kennedy and Eisenhower both made Newport

3999-599: The creation of the United States Navy; they sponsored 30 African slaving ventures. However, it was the DeWolfs of Bristol, Rhode Island , and most notably James De Wolf , who were the largest slave-trading family in America, mounting more than 80 transatlantic voyages, most of them illegal. The Rhode Island slave trade was broadly based. Seven hundred Rhode Islanders owned or captained slave ships, most of whom were substantial merchants, though many were ordinary shopkeepers and tradesmen who purchased shares in slaving voyages. Newport

4092-631: The end of World War II and was used as a target for aircraft. In addition, 17 Clemson -class destroyers were lost during the war. The wrecks of three Clemson -class destroyers remain in the San Francisco Bay area , USS  Corry a few miles north of Mare Island Navy Yard on the Napa River , USS  Thompson in the southern part of the Bay where it was used as a bombing target in World War II, and

4185-473: The fighting between Japanese and Chinese forces around Shanghai in February 1932 enlivened the Asiatic Fleet's duty at this juncture, but Tracy ' s activities were limited to keeping a watchful eye on American interests. Later in the year, the destroyer received orders assigning her once again to the Battle Force, and she left the Asiatic Fleet for the last time. Tracy took part in maneuvers and exercises in

4278-610: The first African mutual aid society in America. Newport was the scene of much activity during the American Revolution . William Ellery was a Newport native and one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence . In the winter of 1775, and 1776, the Rhode Island Legislature placed militia general William West in charge of rooting out loyalists in Newport, which resulted in several individuals being exiled to

4371-644: The four Clemson -class DM conversions survived to serve in World War II. Most ships remaining in service during World War II were rearmed with dual-purpose 3-inch/50 caliber guns to provide better anti-aircraft protection. The AVD seaplane tender conversions received two guns; the APD high-speed transport, DM minelayer , and DMS minesweeper conversions received three guns, and those retaining destroyer classification received six. Their original low-angle 4-inch/50 caliber guns (Mark 9) were transferred to Defensively Equipped Merchant Ships for anti-submarine protection. For

4464-537: The guests were expected to have "cottages" of their own. Many of the homes were designed by New York architect Richard Morris Hunt , who kept a house in Newport himself. The social scene at Newport is described in Edith Wharton 's novel The Age of Innocence . Wharton's own Newport "cottage" was called Land's End . Today, many mansions continue in private use. Hammersmith Farm is the mansion where John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy held their wedding reception; it

4557-455: The gun armament from 4-inch (102 mm) to 5-inch (127 mm) guns was also considered, but only five ships (DD-231 to DD-235) were armed with 5-inch guns. In addition, the tapered stern of the Wickes -class destroyers resulted in a large turning radius and a correction to this defect was also sought, although this was not corrected in the final design. In the end the General Board decided

4650-524: The headquarters of the Naval Undersea Warfare Center . The decommissioned aircraft carrier USS  Saratoga  (CV-60) was moored in an inactive status at the docks previously used by the Cruiser-Destroyer Force until it was towed to Brownsville, Texas in August–September 2014 to be dismantled. The USS  Forrestal  (CV-59) shared the pier until June 2010. The departure of

4743-476: The highest concentrations of colonial homes in the nation. Doris Duke, heir to the tobacco fortune of her father, James B. Duke, founded the Newport Restoration Foundation (NRF) in 1968, and for the next 25 years, until her death in 1993, saved much of Newport's colonial architectural heritage. Under Duke's leadership, the NRF restored more than 80 18th- and early 19th-century buildings in Newport and neighboring Middletown, Rhode Island, most of which are still owned by

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4836-509: The landings there. Next, operating out of Nouméa for the remainder of 1943, Tracy called at Funafuti , Espiritu Santo, and Guadalcanal through December. On 1 January 1944, she steamed in convoy with President Jackson , President Hayes , President Adams , Titania , and Alhena to the Fiji Islands, arriving at Nandi on 5 January. Underway again the following day, Tracy escorted another convoy to Guadalcanal, conducting gunnery exercises en route, and arrived on 10 January. Later in

4929-496: The leadership of John Clarke. In 1658, a group of Jews was welcomed to settle in Newport, fleeing the Inquisition in Spain and Portugal. They were not allowed to settle elsewhere. This group eventually came to be known as Congregation Jeshuat Israel, and is the second-oldest Jewish congregation in the United States. They meet in Touro Synagogue , the oldest synagogue in America. The Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations received its royal charter in 1663. Benedict Arnold

5022-423: The median household income was $ 68,201 (with a margin of error of +/- $ 4,880) and the median family income was $ 96,161 (+/- $ 10,800). Males had a median income of $ 40,018 (+/- $ 3,361) versus $ 29,535 (+/- $ 3,288) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $ 34,315 (+/- $ 2,816). Approximately, 12.4% of families and 14.4% of the population were below the poverty line , including 25.0% of those under

5115-567: The month, she departed Efate, New Hebrides , bound for New Caledonia in company with the President Hayes . During the passage, they fought through a storm 1944 Pacific typhoon season before arriving at Nouméa on 19 January. Upon the completion of refueling there, she proceeded to Wellington, New Zealand . For the remainder of January and continuing into May, she threaded her way among the Pacific Isles, escorting convoys and carrying out exercises en route. On 3 June, she arrived in San Francisco to commence overhaul at Hunters Point. Upon conclusion of

5208-422: The most populous municipality on Aquidneck Island in Narragansett Bay . According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 11.4 square miles (29.5 km ), of which 7.7 square miles (19.9 km ) is land and 3.7 square miles (9.6 km ), or 32.64%, is water. The Newport Bridge , the longest suspension bridge in New England, connects Newport to neighboring Conanicut Island across

5301-427: The northern part of the state, including Joseph Wanton and Thomas Vernon. On December 8, 1776, the British occupied the city without opposition. Sir Peter Parker led 50-gun British ships, while Lieutenant-General Henry Clinton led 7,000 troops. According to Alfred Thayer Mahan , "The immediate effect was to close a haven of privateers , which flanked the route of all vessels bound from Europe to New York." In

5394-406: The operational control of Minecraft, Pacific Fleet , she anchored at San Pedro Bay through the middle of August. On 10 August, her radio picked up an unofficial Japanese broadcast which announced that Japan had agreed to accept unconditional surrender terms. Tracy ' s log noted "much blowing of whistles and searchlight displays by Fleet units present." On 15 August, she got underway as part of

5487-450: The period 2009–2011, the estimated median annual income for a household in the city was $ 59,388, and the median income for a family was $ 83,880. Male full-time workers had a median income of $ 52,221 versus $ 41,679 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 35,644. About 10.7% of the population were below the poverty line. The Newport Historic District — one of the city's three National Historic Landmark Districts — boasts one of

5580-409: The population (3.3% Puerto Rican , 1.2% Guatemalan , 1.1% Mexican ). There were 10,616 households, out of which: 21.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.9% were headed by married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 53.5% were non-families. 41.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.7% were someone living alone who

5673-408: The receiving barracks ashore, and only a skeleton crew was on board. As Japanese planes swept overhead , Tracy ' s crew boarded their ship and sought to find ways to fight back. Some sailors went to USS  Cummings and helped to man her guns, while others boarded USS  Pennsylvania and assisted in operating the battleship 's antiaircraft batteries. Meanwhile, back on board Tracy ,

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5766-433: The remaining sailors, after assembling three .30-caliber Lewis guns and two .50-caliber Brownings, did their best to drive off the attackers. When the raid ended, a party of ten men from the destroyer minesweeper assisted in fighting the fires raging on board USS  California . Following the interrupted overhaul at the navy yard, Tracy went to sea to commence wartime operations. On 31 March 1942, she assisted in laying

5859-577: The rest Wickes and Clemson class. In 1937 four Clemson class were converted to destroyer minelayers ( hull classification symbol DM), joining several Wickes -class ships in this role. Nineteen were transferred to the Royal Navy in 1940 as part of the Destroyers for Bases Agreement , where they became part of the Town class . Others were upgraded or converted to high-speed transports (APD), high-speed minesweepers (DMS), destroyer minelayers (DM), or seaplane tenders (AVD) and served through World War II . Four Wickes -class DM conversions and

5952-413: The screen for TU 72.5.38, and, while en route to Okinawa she received word to cease all offensive activities. Entering Buckner Bay , Okinawa, on 20 August, she lay at anchor for five days before transferring Mark VI buoys from Weehawken to various other fast minesweepers gathering to commence the job of sweeping up the mines sown during the war. The end of the war in the Pacific in August marked only

6045-399: The ships converted to minesweepers, the twelve 21-inch torpedo tubes were replaced by minesweeping gear. USS  Stewart was scuttled at Soerabaja on 2 March 1942, following the surrender of the Dutch East Indies to the Japanese. She was raised, repaired and recommissioned as Japanese patrol boat PB-102 by the Imperial Japanese Navy . She was surrendered to the US Navy following

6138-424: The sites of their " Summer White Houses " during their years in office. Eisenhower stayed at Quarters A at the Naval War College and at what became known as the Eisenhower House , while Kennedy used Hammersmith Farm . The city has long been entwined with the United States Navy . It held the campus of the U.S. Naval Academy during the American Civil War (1861–65) when the undergraduate officer training school

6231-409: The southern part of the city became a staunch Irish neighborhood for many generations. To this day, St. Patrick's Day is an important day of pride and celebration in Newport, with a large parade down Thames Street. The oldest Catholic parish in Rhode Island is St. Mary's , located on Spring Street, though the current building is not original. Rhode Island did not have a fixed capital during and after

6324-461: The summer and fall of 1942 before returning to Pearl Harbor in December for a brief refit. On 18 December, she set out for New Caledonia , escorting a west-bound convoy, and arrived with her charges at Nouméa on 2 January 1943. Designated a unit in TF 66, she operated out of Nouméa and Nadi , on occasion engaged in laying minefields around the American and Allied bases. She also delivered much-needed gasoline to Henderson Field , on Guadalcanal, for

6417-427: The summer of 1778, the Americans began the campaign known as the Battle of Rhode Island . This was the first joint operation between the Americans and the French after the signing of the Treaty of Alliance . The Americans based in Tiverton planned a formal siege of the town, but the French refused to take part, instead preferring a frontal assault. This weakened the American position, and the British were able to expel

6510-429: The three capital cities of America; namely, Boston, New York, and Philadelphia." On July 10, 1780, a French expedition arrived in Narragansett Bay off Newport with an army of 450 officers and 5,300 men, sent by King Louis XVI and commanded by Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau . For the rest of the war, Newport served as the base of the French forces in the United States. In July 1781, Rochambeau

6603-404: The war ended (1783). Over 200 abandoned buildings were torn down in the 1780s. The war destroyed Newport's economic wealth, because years of military occupation closed the city to any form of trade. It was in Newport that the Rhode Island General Assembly voted to ratify the Constitution in 1790 and become the 13th state, acting under pressure from the merchant community of Providence. The city

6696-510: The war, the Solomon Islands . Tracy , in Task Force (TF) 62, arrived off the beaches of Guadalcanal on 7 August, as the guns of US cruisers and destroyers conducted a shore bombardment. She took part in the hard-fought campaign for the islands, engaged in the unglamorous but vital tasks of escort duty and antisubmarine patrol. She operated between Espiritu Santo and the battle zones through

6789-404: The waterline and create additional vulnerability, but the Navy felt a 4,900- nautical-mile (9,100 km; 5,600 mi) range was worth the risk. Additional improvements included provisions for 5-inch guns to be installed at a later date, an enlarged rudder to help reduce the turn radius, and an additional 3-inch (76 mm) anti-aircraft gun on the after deck-house. The class resulted from

6882-640: The yard work, Tracy underwent refresher training off the U.S. West Coast, ranging as far north as Seattle and Bremerton, Washington . On 31 August, she departed Seattle in company with Cushman K. Davis bound for Oahu , and arrived at Pearl Harbor on 9 September. After a navy yard availability from 12 to 24 September, she got underway on 29 September, bound for the Marshalls in company with Convoy BD-110T. Arriving at Eniwetok on 8 October, she commenced further convoy runs between Eniwetok and Pearl Harbor, and Pearl Harbor and San Francisco. With Iwo Jima secured,

6975-413: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.05, and the average family size was 2.82. The age distribution was 16.5% under the age of 18, 16.3% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.3 males. For

7068-407: Was 75.91% (19,102) white or European American (73.62% non-Hispanic white ), 5.93% (1,492) black or African-American , 0.86% (217) Native American or Alaska Native , 1.76% (444) Asian , 0.06% (16) Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian , 6.08% (1,530) from other races , and 9.39% (2,362) from two or more races . Hispanic or Latino of any race was 11.82% (2,975) of the population. Of

7161-593: Was Jacob Rodrigues Rivera, who arrived in 1745 (died 1789). Rivera introduced the manufacture of sperm oil , derived from sperm whales. This became one of Newport's leading industries and made the town a wealthy, prominent whaling community. Newport developed 17 manufacturers of oil and candles, and enjoyed a practical monopoly of this trade until the American Revolution . Aaron Lopez is also credited with making Newport an important center of trade. He encouraged 40 Portuguese Jewish families to settle there, and Newport had 150 vessels engaged in trade within 14 years. Lopez

7254-445: Was a desire to build a class more tailored towards the anti-submarine role, and as such several design studies were completed, mainly about increasing the ships' range. These designs included a reduction in speed to between 26–28 knots (48–52 km/h; 30–32 mph) by eliminating two boilers, freeing up displacement for depth charges and more fuel. This proposal foreshadowed the destroyer escorts of World War II . Upgrading

7347-404: Was a major 18th-century port city and boasts many buildings from the colonial era . Newport is the county seat of Newport County , which has no governmental functions other than court administrative and sheriff corrections boundaries. It was known for being the location of the " Summer White Houses " during the administrations of presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy . Newport

7440-464: Was also completed on the Claiborne Pell Bridge . The Preservation Society of Newport County began opening Newport's historic mansions to the public, and the tourist industry has become Newport's primary commercial enterprise over the subsequent years. Newport is located at 41°29′17″N 71°18′45″W  /  41.48806°N 71.31250°W  / 41.48806; -71.31250 . It is

7533-528: Was elected as the first governor. The Old Colony House at the head of Washington Square in Newport served as the seat of Rhode Island's government from 1741 until the current Rhode Island State House was completed in Providence in 1904. At that time, Providence became the state's sole capital city. Newport was the most important port in colonial Rhode Island, and a public school was established in 1640. The commercial activity that raised Newport to its fame as

7626-428: Was estimated to be 41.0% of the population. 14.5% of the population was under the age of 18, 15.5% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 23.5% from 45 to 64, and 19.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.9 years. For every 100 females, the population had 106.4 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 108.3 males. The 2016-2020 5-year American Community Survey estimates show that

7719-523: Was finally able to leave Newport for Providence to begin the decisive march to Yorktown, Virginia , along with General George Washington . The Rochambeau Monument in King Park on Wellington Avenue commemorates Rochambeau's contributions to the Revolutionary War and to Newport's history. Newport's population fell from over 9,000 (according to the census of 1774) to fewer than 4,000 by the time that

7812-400: Was founded in 1639 on Rhode Island , which is now called Aquidneck Island. Its eight founders and first officers were Nicholas Easton , William Coddington , John Clarke , John Coggeshall , William Brenton , Jeremy Clark , Thomas Hazard , and Henry Bull . Many of these people were part of the settlement at Portsmouth , along with Anne Hutchinson and her followers. They separated within

7905-577: Was granted. From the mid-17th century, the religious tolerance in Newport attracted numbers of Quakers , known also as the Society of Friends . The Great Friends Meeting House in Newport (1699) is the oldest existing structure of worship in Rhode Island. In 1727, James Franklin (brother of Benjamin Franklin ) printed the Rhode-Island Almanack in Newport. In 1732, he published the first newspaper,

7998-467: Was inhabited by a small group of abolitionists and free blacks. Reverend Samuel Hopkins , minister at Newport's First Congregational Church , has been called "America's first abolitionist". Among subscribers to Hopkins' writings were 17 free black citizens, most of whom lived in Newport. This community of freemen, including Newport Gardner , founded the Free African Union Society in 1780,

8091-472: Was initially equipped, and probably remained the standard torpedo for this class, as 600 Mark 8 torpedoes were issued to the British in 1940 as part of the Destroyers for Bases Agreement . Although the design provided for two anti-aircraft (AA) guns, most ships carried a single 3-inch (76 mm)/23 caliber AA gun, typically on the aft deckhouse. A frequent modification was replacing the aft 4-inch gun with

8184-493: Was involved in the slave trade, as were other shipping magnates, and the manufacture of spermaceti candles, ships, barrels, rum, chocolate, textiles, clothes, shoes, hats, and bottles. Lopez became the wealthiest man in Newport, but he was denied citizenship on religious grounds, even though British law protected the rights of Jews to become citizens in England. Lopez appealed to the Rhode Island colonial legislature for redress and

8277-421: Was open to tourists as a "house museum", but has since been purchased and reconverted into a private residence. Many of the other mansions are open to tourists, and others were converted into academic buildings for Salve Regina College in the 1930s, when the owners could no longer afford their tax bills. In the mid-19th century, a large number of Irish immigrants settled in Newport. The Fifth Ward of Newport in

8370-830: Was refitted and received new fire-control instruments. She departed the United States West Coast on 24 June and proceeded, via the Panama Canal , to New York City . Spending the next two years with the Scouting Fleet , Tracy wound up her tour by taking part in the reinforcement operations for the Special Service Squadron in Nicaraguan waters during the revolution and civil strife which had broken out in that country in November and December 1926. Following overhaul by

8463-539: Was refused with this ruling: Inasmuch as the said Aaron Lopez hath declared himself by religion a Jew, this Assembly doth not admit himself nor any other of that religion to the full freedom of this Colony. So that the said Aaron Lopez nor any other of said religion is not liable to be chosen into any office in this colony nor allowed to give vote as a free man in choosing others. Lopez persisted by applying for citizenship in Massachusetts Bay Colony , where it

8556-498: Was temporarily moved north from Annapolis, Maryland . From 1952 to 1973, it hosted the Cruiser-Destroyer Force of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet , and subsequently, it has hosted smaller numbers of warships from time to time. Today it hosts Naval Station Newport (NAVSTA Newport) and remains home to the U.S. Naval War College , the center for Surface Warfare Officer training, the Navy Supply Corps School and other schools, and

8649-573: Was the last residence of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry and the birthplace of Commodore Matthew C. Perry and Unitarian William Ellery Channing . Beginning in the mid-nineteenth century, wealthy southern planters seeking to escape the heat began to build summer cottages on Bellevue Avenue, such as Kingscote (1839). Around the middle of the century, wealthy northerners, such as the Wetmore family, began construction on larger mansions, such as Chateau-sur-Mer (1852) nearby. Most of these early families made

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